Malaysia sets to redress its visa-free entry for North Korea
By Correspondent
The Malaysian government will adjust its visa-free entry policy for North Koreans, starting from next week following the breakdown in diplomatic ties between the two countries. The government’s decision is influenced by the murder case of Kim Jong-nam at the Kuala Lumpur airport.Such decision will allow North Koreans obtain a visa starting from March 6 before entering Malaysia for national security reasons. Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was cited by the state news agency, Bernama, on Thursday.The bilateral immigration policy, which grants a permit to North Koreans to visit Malaysia as one of the few countries without a visa, also accord same benefit to Malaysians in a reciprocal arrangement.This decision was taken two weeks after Kim Jong-nam, the separated half-brother of North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, was murdered at the Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia, allegedly with a toxic nerve agent.Diplomatic ties between the two south Asian countries have turned sour since the murder case, which South Korea and the US confirmed an assassination plot by North Korean agents.However, North Korea discredited the claim, saying it was absurd that the chemical weapon VX was used in killing.North Korea tried to persuade Malaysia against its decision to carry out an autopsy on Kim’s body, and that it should release a North Korean suspect detained in connection with the murder.On Tuesday, a high level North Korean diplomatic delegation arrived in Kuala Lumpur and held talks with members of the Malaysian cabinet to press those demands.Malaysia has already charged two accused, comprising an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman with murder. The Police are also seeking to query seven others, including a senior official in the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.It is not likely Malaysia will grant the North Korea’s demands. It has insisted that laws of the country will be followed and has refused to release the body to the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, while asking the next of kin of the deceased to come forward.Malaysia and North Korea have managed decades of friendly relationship which now seemed strained to pull them apart.Their relationship has been kept since the 1970s when former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad embraced the isolated state, partly to slight the United States.Discover more from NewsBreakers
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